Some three weeks ago, Pentax Ricoh Imaging shipped new firmware for its Pentax Q mirrorless camera, the first update to the model since it was officially discontinued late last year. The new update brought improved contrast detection autofocus performance, but unfortunately, this was accompanied by an issue that caused the update to be withdrawn a few days later.

There's good new for Pentax Q shooters today, though, as the update has returned with the issue fixed and a brand-new version number applied. Pentax Q firmware v1.12 corrects a problem with one of the camera's Smart Effect filters -- specifically, the Tone Expansion filter -- not being applied correctly. As is typical with Pentax updates, the company suggests that it has made general performance / stability improvements in the new update as well, but doesn't specify precisely what these entail.

Pentax's new firmware for the tiny Q compact system camera fixes an issue that crept in with a recent update.

The tiny little Pentax Q isn't the only recipient of new firmware today, either. Both the closely-related Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs digital SLRs also receive some attention -- the fourth time in as many months that these models have been improved upon. Version 1.04 firmware for the K-5 II and IIs is said to resolve a rare problem with controls locking up while displaying the status screen in the previous firmware. There is also -- you guessed it -- a note that Pentax has "improved stability for general performance".